Microbial production of megadalton titin yields fibers with advantageous mechanical properties

Christopher H. Bowen, Cameron J. Sargent, Ao Wang, Yaguang Zhu, Xinyuan Chang, Jingyao Li, Xinyue Mu, Jonathan M. Galazka, Young-Shin Jun, Sinan Keten and Fuzhong Zhang ()
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Christopher H. Bowen: Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive
Cameron J. Sargent: Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive
Ao Wang: Northwestern University
Yaguang Zhu: Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive
Xinyuan Chang: Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive
Jingyao Li: Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive
Xinyue Mu: Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive
Jonathan M. Galazka: NASA Ames Research Center
Young-Shin Jun: Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive
Sinan Keten: Northwestern University
Fuzhong Zhang: Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Manmade high-performance polymers are typically non-biodegradable and derived from petroleum feedstock through energy intensive processes involving toxic solvents and byproducts. While engineered microbes have been used for renewable production of many small molecules, direct microbial synthesis of high-performance polymeric materials remains a major challenge. Here we engineer microbial production of megadalton muscle titin polymers yielding high-performance fibers that not only recapture highly desirable properties of natural titin (i.e., high damping capacity and mechanical recovery) but also exhibit high strength, toughness, and damping energy — outperforming many synthetic and natural polymers. Structural analyses and molecular modeling suggest these properties derive from unique inter-chain crystallization of folded immunoglobulin-like domains that resists inter-chain slippage while permitting intra-chain unfolding. These fibers have potential applications in areas from biomedicine to textiles, and the developed approach, coupled with the structure-function insights, promises to accelerate further innovation in microbial production of high-performance materials.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-25360-6

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25360-6

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